What Can NYC Art Museums Do for Immigrant Communities?

In February 2020, ACOMPI organized the colloquium “What Can NYC Art Museums Do For Immigrants?” at NYU Steinhardt.

Through individual presentations and a panel discussion, cultural workers from major NYC art museums discussed the roles and responsibilities of their organizations in relation to local and incoming immigrant communities. Moderated by Maria Canela (City of New York, Department of Cultural Affairs), presenters included Leticia Gutierrez (Associate Educator, Learning Programs and Partnerships, MoMA), Elena Ketelsen González (Founder and Director, La Salita; Program Manager, Gracie Mansion Conservatory, formerly at the Whitney Museum of American Art), Adrianne Koteen (Curator of Public Practice, Queens Museum), and Lauren Argentina Zelaya (Director of Public Programs, Brooklyn Museum).

Presenters shared experiences from the education and community engagement departments to ideate and discuss how public and educational programming can most effectively serve immigrant communities. For an audience of over 100 people, they address existing museum programs or initiatives that could be better supported, necessary or useful staff and volunteer training opportunities, and non-institutional ways the city of New York and its people can support immigrant communities across all boroughs.

HYPERALLERGIC
NYC Cultural Workers Consider What Museums Can Do for Immigrant Communities
Valentina Di Liscia, February 25, 2020